Making up sleep?

Sleep loss is cumulative and can't be "made up" the way you think it can. Adults typically need 7-9 hours of sleep a night (the amount depends on the person). Lack of sleep on a daily basis creates a "sleep debt" which the body will eventually make you repay.

The only way to make up for lost sleep is to address the problem in a timely manner (e.g. taking a nap the next day or getting a little extra sleep the next day). People who do work the 3rd and even the 2nd shift usually have a problem with adjusting their sleep patterns unless they can manage to reset their biological clock by adjusting the timing of everything (I've seen it done). The people who have it the worst are the constant international travelers and the people who "work the wheel" (a different shift for a few days every 5 or 7 days).

Your friend needs to try to manage his sleep better and I know that's not easy but the effects of sleep deprivation can be worse than driving while intoxicated. I have known people to get in accidents because of it.

There are some tips at these sites:

Sleep can not be really "made up". It's like not eating for a while. Eating a whole bunch won't really help you. You have to just start eating enough again. Same with sleep. Sleeping for a long time can help to recouperate, but you aren't "making up" sleep. You are just sleeping more than usual. Naps are a good way to "sleep" durring the day. At least that's worked for me when I was up really late every night for a couple weeks. Hope this helps!

Sleep can't be made up is incorrect. There's a well known theory which speaks of "Sleep Debt"

If you lose one hour of sleep today, then that one hour won't be lost. It'll get added in your sleep debt. And then if you usually sleep for eight hours, then to make up for this lost one hour, you need to sleep for nine hours at lease once.

This might seem a little far fetched. But try skipping two hours of sleep every day (Sleep only around five or five and a half hours) and then when you start feeling drowsy after a week, sleep ten hours every day... You'll feel better after a week.

I heard a segment on GMA the other morning, about the night owl vs, the early bird. We are all programmed to be one or the other, and it never changes, just adjusted. She also said that there is no such thing as making up for sleep, again, it is just an adjustment...

Once you miss sleep it's gone. You can recoup yourself if you're tired though. I'd just focus on the future and better scheduling if at all possible. And if the job forces these rough situations, a bit of assertiveness on personal rights and time.

if you are really tired from working so hard you don't need to make up a sleep but if you're having trouble sleeping sometimes you have make up sleep but I don't really know if it's considered as a sleep it can be like a rest.